Portable baseball training mound for pitchers



Feb. 22, 1966 5. J. FRIEDMAN 3,236,520

PORTABLE BASEBALL TRAINING MOUND FOR PITCHERS Filed Feb. 11, 1963 501 J.fi/eaman, INVENTOR.

VI/ANN 8 McMAN/GAL Af/omays 5- Anal/cam United States Patent 3,236,520PORTABLE BASEBALL TRAINING MOUND FOR PITCHERS Sol J. Friedman, Ontario,Califl, assignor to Portal-Mound, Upland, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Feb. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 257,416 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-26)This invention relates generally to athletic training equipment andrelates more particularly to portable mound-s for baseball pitchers.

While the invention has particular utility in connection with trainingmounds for baseball pitchers, and is shown and described in suchconnection, it is to be understood that its utility is not to beconfined thereto.

As is well known, the spring training and practice for baseball teamsbegins early and in many parts of the country weather conditions aresuch that such practice and training cannot be conducted very well outof doors. Many schools and other institutions do not have the neededindoor facilities for the early practice and training season.

In many cases this practice and training is carried out on the levelfloor of field houses or the like. However, the training of baseballpitchers on a level floor is not conductive to the [best results sincesuch a level floor is not in accordance with the actual conditions ofplay on fields meeting the ofiicial requirements.

For one thing, prescribed official fields require a raised pitchersmound so that when pitchers are training and/ or practicing on a levelfloor or field, they do not have the proper angular relationship to therest of the playing field (for proper training.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pitchingmound that may be placed upon a flat floor or other area upon which thetrainee or person practicing will have the same angular relationship andconditions as are present on a regulation playing field.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mound of thischaracter that is portable.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a mound or deviceof this character that will be an aid in the control of the pitcherspitching.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus of thischaracter with which a trainee or one practicing pitching can developthe proper techniques.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide apparatus ofthis character with which continued experience in throwing oif aregulation mound may be experienced by a person in training or onepracticing pitching.

It is another object of the invention to provide a deviceof thischaracter that is an effective aid to schools and colleges preparing foror engaged in spring training.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a device of thischaracter whereby the pitcher in training or in practice may develop theproper techniques and pitching form.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that is relatively light in weight and may be easily movedabout and/or transported.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a device of thischaracter that is rugged and durable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufiiciently referred to in connection with the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings, which represent oneembodiment. After considering this example skilled persons willunderstand that variations may be made without departing from theprinciples disclosed and I contemplate the employment 3,236,520 PatentedFeb. 22, 1966 ICC of any structures, arrangements or modes of operationthat are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a pitcherstraining mound, indicated generally at 10, embodying the presentinvention.

The mound is of relatively light weight material, such as foamedplastic, for example. The plastic used may be polyethe'lyne, Fiberglas,or the like. Dimensions of the mound are the same, or closelyapproximate those prescribed by olficial regulations.

A substantial portion of the top of the mound, as indicated generally at11, is relatively fiat except as hereinafter described, there being arear portion or area 12 of said top surface of said mound that isgenerally parallel with the plane of the underside thereof which wouldalso make it substantially parallel to the floor or ground surface uponwhich the device is placed and hence may be termed a horizontal portionor area. From the generally horizontal area 12 the top surface 11 of thedevice curves or is inclined forwardly and downwardly as at 14 andterminates at the forward end in a forwardly and sharply downwardlycurved front end portion 16. The sides 18 and rear end 19 of the moundare curved downwardly and outwardly relative to the top surface.

Adjacent the rear end of the mound is the pitchers plate 22. This plateis somewhat raised above the plane of the top surface of the device andis shown as being integral with the mound. It is to be understood, ofcourse, that said pitchers plate 22 may be a separate piece attached tothe mound by any suitable well known adhesive, for example, or it may bea recess in the top surface of the mound. However, it has been lfOUI'ICIvery effective and satisfactory to have the plate raised above the moundsurface as shown in the drawings.

Extending forwardly from the plate 22 is a shield 24 which is ofsufficient length and width to cover a substantial portion of the topsurface of the mound and provide a protecting covering for that portionof the mound upon which the pitcher operates or works. Shield 24comprises a sheet of wear resistant material, such as rubber, natural orsynthetic, plastic, or the like. Resiliency is also a desirablecharacteristic of said shield and said shield may be approximately/4-inch thick or any other suitable thickness sufficient to protect thetop surface of the mound against damage or wear from the shoes of thepitcher. Any suitable means may be used to secure the shield to the topsurface of the mound. This securing means may be of any known adhesivehaving the required characteristics. For example, an epoxy cement may beused.

Shield 24 is provided with a series of transversely extending parallellines 26 as an aid in training a pitcher or aiding him in practice. Theinstructor can better show or instruct the trainee or one practicing thebest location for the feet when pitching.

Whilethe mound is made of a light weight material such as a foamedplastic, it is to be understood that it may be made of other material.For example, the mound may be a metal shell formed to provide thedesired top surface of the proper shape and size to facilitate thetraining of pitchers or practice pitching of pitchers.

The device may also be used out of doors on playing fields that do nothave a pitchers mound. For example, the sand lot players and littleleague players may have fields or practice or training areas that do nothave a pitchers mound and the present device is particularly useful forsuch fields or areas.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from theforegoing description and it will be apparent that various changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof orsacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbeforedescribed being merely by Way of example, and I do not wish to berestricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned except asdefined in the accompanying claims, wherein various portions have beenseparated for clarity of reading and not for emphasis.

I claim:

1. A portable pitchers mound, comprising:

(A) a body of foamed plastic material having a top working surfacehigher at the rear than at the forward end, said surface having aportion at the rear substantially horizontal to the plane of theunderside of the body and a forward end portion curving forwardly anddownwardly and terminating at the forward end in a sharply downwardlycurved front end portion, the rear and sides of the body curvingdownwardly and outwardly from the top playing surface;

(B) a pitchers plate on the top of said mound and extending transverselyof said mound adjacent the rear end of the said top surface;

(C) and a shield comprising a sheet of rubber extending from said plateforwardly on said top surface and terminating adjacent the forward endthereof, said shield having substantial width and being secured to thetop surface of the body by an adhesive for protection of the top surfaceagainst wear and damage from the shoes of the player using said mound,said shield having a plurality of transversely extending parallel linesspaced apart longitudinally relative to the mound and spaced forwardlyof the pitchers plate.

2. In a portable pitchers mound:

(A) a body of light weight plastic material having a top playing surfacehigher at the rear than at the forward end, said surface having asubstantially horizontal portion at the rear and a forwardly anddownwardly curving forward portion extending from said horizontalportion;

(B) a pitchers plate extending transversely of the mound adjacent therear end of said playing surface;

(C) and a shield comprising a sheet of resiliant material secured tosaid top playing surface extending from said plate forwardly on said topsurface and terminating adjacent the forward end thereof, said shieldhaving substantial width and providing protection of the top surfaceagainst wear and damage from the shoes of the player using said mound.

3. In a portable pitchers mound:

(A) a light weight body having a top playing surface, higher at the rearthan at the forward end, said surface having a substantially horizontalportion at the rear and a forwardly and downwardly curving portionextending from said horizontal portion;

(B) a pitchers plate extending transversely of the mound adjacent therear end of said playing surface;

(C) and a shield comprising a sheet of resilient material secured tosaid top playing surface, extending from said plate forwardly on saidtop surface and terminating adjacent the forward end thereof, saidshield having substantial width and providing protection of the topsurface against wear and damage.

4. In a portable pitchers mound:

(A) a light weight plastic body having a top playing surface higher atthe rear than at the forward end, and including a forwardly anddownwardly curving forward portion;

(B) a pitchers plate extending transversely of the mound adjacent therear end of said playing surface;

(C) and a shield comprising a sheet of cushioning material secured to atleast a portion of said top playing surface for protection of the topsurface against wear.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,156,469 5/1939Boltz 27325 2,720,660 1-0/1955 Smith 5-337 2,756,999 7/1956 Orsatti27325 2,880,428 4/1959 Forsland 5-337 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, PrimaryExaminer.

4. IN A PORTABLE PITCHER''S MOUND: (A) A LIGHT WEIGHT PLASTIC BODYHAVING A TOP PLAYING SURFACE HIGHER AT THE REAR THAN AT THE FORWARD END,AND INCLUDIG A FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY CURVING FORWARD PORTION; (B) APITCHER''S PLATE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE MOUND ADJACENT THE REAREND OF SAID PLAYING SURFACE; (C) AND A SHIELD COMPRISING A SHEET OFCUSHIONING MATERIAL SECURED TO AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID TOP PLAYINGSURFACE FOR PROTECTION OF THE TOP SURFACE AGAINST WEAR.